"It's really important that we do have people willing to put themselves out there and not feel that online harm or abusive communications could be a barrier to them standing for local government."
As the former Mayor of Hamilton, Julie Hardaker, knows just how vital it is to be visible and accessible online when working in local government.
But that visibility can come at a cost. The online abuse can take its toll and chip away at a person’s confidence, energy, and spill into in-person scenarios. This can impact others by discouraging them from stepping into leadership roles.
Now Julie is focused on supporting women in their governance journey as the Chair of Women on Boards, and this includes helping them continue to engage online and take that next step as a future leader.